A few nights ago, I had a dream that reminded me of the Bluegrass State Games and I decided that I’m going to run the 100, 200, and 400m races next year. I haven’t run track since my senior year in high school, when I ran the 100m, 200m, and anchor of the 4x100 and 4x400.
Basically, I have 11 months to train for these events. I have a very solid GPP base…physically, I am stronger, more muscular, leaner, more powerful, and just all around more athletic than I was at 18. Because of that, I think that I could get back to the times that I was running senior year (10.9-11.2, not blazing but apparently white guys can’t win the 100m :D)…the thing holding me back is that while I’m in better shape, I’m not “trained” for these events. I haven’t come out of blocks in 8 years and I need to devote some serious time to specific sprint training.
I’ve read Train for Speed, but have never setup a sprint program for anyone, so I thought I’d ask you more experienced members for help. I’m not real well-versed on volume or intensity. Further, I’m not up on all the drills that I see people talking about such as 30m flying starts and such.
So does anyone want to take a shot at helping me flesh out a program that can get me into excellent running form in a year? Again, my GPP is covered with CrossFit workouts, so really I need direction in how and when to train specifically for sprinting.
all the drills and medican ball workouts are covered in the GPP dvd. somebody doing them and when and how to do them comentary, if you want to know how to do these, follow this dvd.
the vancourver dvd is talking with graphs on how to plan out your year, how often to do weight, speed, speed endurcane, plyros’, ems ect ect. if you want to know how to lay out a plan, follow this dvd.
if you need to know how to do starts, blocks ect, then the speed and strength dvd covers that with examples of what to do and what not to do and how to correct it.
i like charlies system of focusing on maximum speed and interlacing that with tempo runs to facilitate recovery and gerenral running ability. its not exactly how i would train but it is a very good system to assist development. as for the weightroom you should train with means that replicate or enhance what occurs on the field of play. that means that max lifts arent how you should train. maximum strength should be a byproduct of your training and if you do it right you will find it to be high.
i cant tell you exactly what to do because my advice would vary depending on the individual, and other factors. but it is interesting to note that the intensities expereienced in the typical weight traiing session are nowhere near matching those experienced on the athletic playing field. for example it is comonly stated that each time a sprinter takes a strid the supporting leg must absorb/generate a tension equal to 6 times that idividuals body weight. so if an athletes weight is 150 lbs that means each stride one of the athletes legs must generate a opposing tension near 900lbs of force to insure effeceint and safe movement. yet when we train in the gym with a squat of deadlift we never reach these levels of intensity. sports specifity would dictate that training for an running event where such great forces are generated, we must generate these same forces in training. our training should consist of absrobing forces equal to or greater than what is experienced in the given evet. this can be done a number of ways including plyometrics but also full body segment altitutde drops. for example to train the deltoids you could drop and catch a 45 lb plate. why? becasue this equates to about 130 lbs of force per repetition. the training effect is much greater and so too is the adaptive effect.